L'avventuriera

Story of female con artist who falls for her scam victim is just a backdrop for Shearer, who photographs beautifully and shows a remarkable range without uttering a word (check out the "wedding veil" scene, where she moves from mocking the idea of marriage to momentarily embracing the idea, all within a few seconds of subtly-evolving facial gestures). Entertaining, even if plot takes a couple of slightly unbelievable twists, with nice balance of comedy and drama (again, Shearer's range of emotion in the last scenes of the film are impressive and engaging). Clearly shows why Norma Shearer was a major MGM star even before the advent of sound.

This is Norma Shearer's last silent. She plays "Dolly", a con artist who, predictably, falls for her victim (Johnny Mack Brown). It is a hackneyed plot, since done better by more than one film maker. The joy here, though, is simply a treat for the eyes. (There are those who claim she was't beautiful - They've got to be kidding) and there are those who claim she wasn't even a good actress. I'm afraid one could not use this film to prove otherwise. There is nothing remotely subtle about her mugging her way through the part. She learned to be a passable actress with time and the advent of sound, though. Johnny Mack Brown is more than adequate in the part of her "mark". He was a very good actor, and is rarely given his due. Lowell Sherman, as her nemesis, (a fop, bent on blackmail over Dolly's past) is a delight to watch, as he preens, leers and struts his way through the role. He is accompanied in his nefarious task by Gwen Lee, a capable character actress who never really got a shot at lead roles. Her height is in stark contrast to Shearer's small stature. This film is well worth watching, as the photography and processing produced a crisp, visual delight.

"A Lady of Chance" was Norma Shearer's last silent film. The Turner Movie Classic channel debut of this forgotten gem with a brand-new score, took place on August 15, 2001. It was a total delight! The print was in excellent condition and looked just as audiences first saw it in 1928. Norma, who never looked lovelier, was in top form and showed how adept she was as a silent movie actress. Never let anyone say that she couldn't handle comedy! It's a fun film to watch and I recommend it to anyone, not just Shearer fans.

In a "ritzy" hotel, seductive Norma Shearer (as Dolly "Angel Face" Morgan) uses her job as telephone operator to connect with wealthy gentlemen. Recently paroled, Ms. Shearer shows off her thighs under torn stockings while sharing a hard luck story, then lures the men to her apartment. There is, of course, a high price to be paid; in case on screen, Shearer makes out with a tidy $10,000. The plot thickens when Shearer's crooked cohorts Lowell Sherman (as Bradley) and Gwen Lee (as Gwen) want a piece of her solo action. Shearer successfully scams the pair, but they turn up to cause more trouble when she sets her sights on handsome cement tycoon Johnny Mack Brown (as Steve Crandall), who has a surprise of his own to reveal...

This was Shearer's last "silent" film; though MGM seemed reluctant to move their stars into talking pictures, several of them became even bigger stars, so the delay worked out very well for those. Curiously, this film has been shown without its "Synchronized Musical Score and Sound Effects" (SSE) on "Turner Classic Movies" (TCM). TCM premiered "A Lady of Chance" with an "all-new" music score in 2001, but had host Robert Osborne discussing the original soundtrack before a 2012 "Silent Sunday" airing, apparently unaware TCM was not showing the original version. Late 1920s "silent films" (which were never "silent") were typically released with SSE. Hopefully, the original soundtracks will be restored; the present trend needs reversing.

***** A Lady of Chance (12/1/28) Robert Z. Leonard ~ Norma Shearer, Lowell Sherman, Johnny Mack Brown, Gwen Lee

While Warner Brothers and many of the other American studios were making more and more talking pictures in 1928, the world's largest and most prestigious studio, MGM, was still firmly convinced that sound was a fad that would soon pass. This is one of the main reasons that this film is a silent, though in a slight nod to the trend, it did feature sound effects and music.

During most of her career, Norma Shearer played rather nice ladies and that's why I enjoyed seeing her in this film, as she was a nasty piece of work. Not only was she a career criminal, but she had no qualms about cheating "suckers" out of their money. Eventually, though, she thinks she's ready for a big score when she meets a man who she thinks is really rich--though after they marry and move to his home she finds he's not rich but owns a small concrete business. What happens next is pretty interesting but I'd rather cut the summary short because it might spoil the film.

The film has decent writing (though at times it is predictable) and the acting is generally very good as well. Most importantly, it is fun to watch and entertaining. While not among the best silents, this is still worth a peek--especially if, like me, you are a huge fan of early film.